Traditionally the International Ballet Festival DANCE OPEN will present to the audience the most outstanding ballet dancers while students of Russian and Finnish ballet schools will get an opportunity to adopt the experience of teachers of the legendary Russian ballet school.

It’s the third year now of the Russian-Finnish project, but for the first time the famous Savonlinna Opera Festival, the major opera festival in Northern Europe, is its official partner. Established by the famous opera singer Aino Ackté at the very beginning of the 20th century, nowadays the Festival presents to the audience the world’s classical masterpieces and premieres by renowned contemporary directors. A very special atmosphere and wonderful acoustics of the medieval castle of St.Olaf (1475) make the performances, and it is a privilege for St. Petersburg ballet forum DANCE OPEN to present the specifically lined up program. As always, the DANCE OPEN Gala is intended for wide audience – for classics enthusiasts who cannot imagine ballet without Petipa’s masterpieces as well as for favourers of contemporary choreography who prefer creative works by innovative choreographers. Undoubtedly the Gala on July 20 will become an actual feast for all ballet lovers. This year on stage of the Olavinlinna castle are Denis and Anastasia Matvienko, Alexander Sergeev and Filipp Stepin, presenting Mariinsky theater; Irina Perren and Marat Shemiunov, principal dancers with Mikhailovsky theater; Remi Wortmeyer, DANCE OPEN People’s Choice Award 2014 winner and principal dancer with Dutch National Ballet; Oxana Kucheruk, ballet star of the famous ballet company of the Grand Theatre of Bordeaux and many others. Ekaterina Galanova, director of the International ballet Festival DANCE OPEN: «The most wonderful thing about this project is undoubtedly the venue. Its very special atmosphere just emphasizes all the delicacy and elegance of dance. These feelings are unspeakable!»The Gala of the ballet stars is held within the St.Petersburg – Savonlinna Ballet Days project supported by South-East Finland – Russia ENPI Program of cross-border cooperation.An essential part of the project is the series of master-classes for students of Russian and Finnish ballet schools. Traditionally within the educational program participants of the master-classes perform at the Gala of Young Ballet Dancers DANCE OPEN which will be held this year on July 17 on stage of the Savonlinna Concert Hall. For many years the educational program of the DANCE OPEN Festival has been a special mission of the project: Russian teachers share their truly invaluable experience with the rising ballet generation. Due to the support of the European Program students have a chance to attend the master-classes free of charge achieving their professional goals. Thus just a little while ago a participant of the DANCE OPEN master-classes Ksenia Zhiganshina performed at the student’s Gala and this year as ballerina of the Bolshoi theater she will dance on stage of Olavinlinna castle along with acclaimed world ballet stars. St.Petersburg - Savonlinna Ballet Days project is designed for a long-term cooperation to support cultural links between Saint-Petersburg and South-East Finland. The project is organized by the International Ballet Festival DANCE OPEN in cooperation with Savonlinna Opera Festival (Finland).

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